Issues

Rob's Plan for Kansas

Transparency of Government

Transparency of government equals accountability of government. Transparency of the Secretary of State’s office in elections will include the ability to audit election results.

HB 2333 is a bill currently being considered by the State Legislature and is a good start toward opening the results of elections to the public. This bill mandates random audits of various level races, every election. It also requires that all election machines have a paper record of all activity for these audit purposes.

This bill has languished in both election committees and should be prioritized and sent to the floor to be voted on. This openness in our elections will give Kansans the complete confidence in their election results that they need and deserve.

Secure and open elections

The goal of the Kansas Secretary of State should be to increase both voter registration and participation (turnout) of voters.Technology is an increasingly important part of everyday modern life, and elections are no exception. The younger generations expects to carry out normal daily processes using computers, cell phones and other technology, and it carries this expectation over to its transactions with the government, including the electoral process.Security of our elections is one of the primary responsibilities of the Kansas Secretary of State. Technology usage creates additional vigilance and security.

Accessibility to the voting process is also paramount. One method of voting does not serve all people equally. We must end the current environment that is alienating and discouraging to some voters. Rules and regulations must be eliminated when they do not take into account the fact that participation in the voting process is a hardship for many constituents who have life challenges.

Business filings

Registering businesses operating in Kansas is an important duty of the Secretary of State. Quality customer service will be a priority in the business side of the Secretary of State’s office and will help facilitate economic growth in Kansas by making it easier to start a business correctly. Personal information in these business filings must be kept confidential, safe from cyber-criminals.

The Secretary of State’s office will need to continue business filing streamlining, by use of new and improved advances in technology. This requires a leader who, like Rob, has an information technology background and experience.

We also need to continue to lobby the legislature to help eliminate business regulations that hamper business creation and operations without providing any security for the consumers. This will create a positive business growth environment in Kansas.